Key takeaways from the State of the City Address

Covid-19, gender-based violence, illegal land invasion, service delivery, park rangers, housing, opportunity centres and lawlessness.

These were some of the key talking points from the annual State of the City Address (Soca), delivered by Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor, Geoff Makhubo at the Council Chambers in Braamfontein on 4 May this year.

Before the mayor could even begin his address, members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) raised the issue that Covid-19 cases were increasing in Gauteng and yet the ANC-led municipality invited non-administrative personnel to Soca.

EFF members then proceeded to sing and shout as they disrupted council.

The speaker of the council, Nonceba Molwele had to restore order before Makhubo could begin his address.

The mayor asked the council to pause for a minute’s silence in memory of those lost to Covid-19. But as he continued his address afterwards, councillors grew more rowdy and the mayor paused several times to listen to them.

As it was International Firefighters’ Day, the mayor said he saluted all emergency service workers, especially as their work was made more challenging by Covid-19.

“Isolation, quarantines, closed borders, closed campuses and places of learning, travel bans, empty stadiums, amongst other things, put interpersonal relations and social coexistence to a serious test,” the mayor said.

Still, plans were now in place to rebuild the economy and livelihoods, post-Covid.

Makhubo expressed gratitude to front-line workers for their fight against the virus. “I thank you for standing in the gap, for nursing our city to health,” he said.

Uninterrupted flow of efficient service delivery post-Covid was his next talking point, and he said residents could look forward to this. Makhubo said the City endeavoured to address the water and electricity supply issues in some areas, calling this a ‘serious concern’.

The mayor pleaded with residents to not litter, and said Johannesburg Parks and Zoo would deploy park rangers in every park to reduce crime.

There was also a huge need for housing in the city, and the municipality had plans to address this, especially in Alexandra.

Programmes to create jobs and promote economic growth and youth development were also underway. Specifically, Joburg now had 10 opportunity centres that helped people expand as entrepreneurs, or find jobs.

Makhubo said hopelessness had arisen as a result of serious and minor crimes, and victims deserved justice. Illegal land occupation for financial or political gain formed part of this problem of lawlessness.

An anti-illegal land occupation task force had been set up. The Debt Rehabilitation Programme had also been initiated to help residents in the red.

In the past three years, the City recorded the highest amount of irregular expenditure in its history. But, Makhubo said it achieved an unqualified audit opinion and was striving towards a clean administration and corporate governance. One of the City’s main aims was to root out corruption in its own ranks.

The mayor closed by asking everyone to work together to beat Covid-19, forge economic pathways, entrench the transformation agenda, ensure the IDP (integrated development plan) service delivery, restore trust and faith in the leaders, and confront the digital divide.

Councillors were expected to hold a debate on Soca the next day, 5 May.

Details: City of Johannesburg 086 056 2874.